Modular system for utilization of solar energy for heating of sanitary water

ABSTRACT

The subject of the invention is modular system for utilization of solar energy for heating of sanitary water, which is composed from individual modules, each of which comprises a prefabricated, upper-outflow transparent (diaphanous), translucent or non-transparent element ( 1 ), one or several intermediate transparent (diaphanous), translucent or non-transparent element(s) ( 2 ), and a lower-inflow transparent (diaphanous), translucent or non-transparent element ( 3 ). Their mutual connection by means of junctions ( 4   a,    4   b ) enables flow of nontransparent media from one element to the other while absorbing solar energy. Several modules can be mutually and in parallel connected to the modular system replacing the existing roofing tiles. The choice of an appropriate color for the nontransparent media makes the system compatible and consistent with the look of surrounding existing roof tiles.

The subject of the invention is modular system for utilization of solarenergy for heating of fluids, gasses and solids, particularly forheating of sanitary water, heating of pool water, spatial heating incombination with floor heating, heating of air and other forms ofheating with usage of solar energy. The relevant modular system iscomposed of prefabricated modules of transparent (diaphanous),translucent or non-transparent elements inside of which is an emptyspace for flow of nontransparent media. The invention is classified intoF 24J 02/04 and E 04D 13/18 of international patent classification.

Technical problem, which this invention successfully solves, is aconstruction and implementation of such system for utilization of solarenergy, which is simple for installation and maintenance and size ofwhich can be easily adapted as regards available roofing area and thesize of required heating area.

Imposed technical problem is solved with the construction andimplementation of proposed modular system for utilization of solarenergy for heating of sanitary water, which enables simple installationof mutually connected individual modules composed of the transparent(diaphanous), translucent or non-transparent elements containing anempty space for allowing the flow of the nontransparent media. Themodules are to be used as exchange for existing roofing cover in case ofexisting building or, in case of newly constructed building, simplesupplement to remaining roofing cover.

Known solutions of modular system for utilization of solar energy, asdescribed in the patent documents, e.g. in. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,296,740,5,960,790 or WO 99/63280 assumes implementation of prefabricated panels,which are assembled in a system and placed on roof constructions. Majordisadvantage of these solutions is particularly in incapability ofadjustment of such systems as regards simple enlargement and up-gradingof once already installed system. Besides these, the constructionimplementations of mentioned solutions require numerous additionalsolutions for reliable sealing of entire system on the roofing of abuilding and mutual sealing among panels.

Solutions exist, which presume implementation of entire roofconstruction in seance of storage tank of solar energy for heating ofsanitary water. One of such solutions is described in the patentdocument WO 99/54670. Such solution is not universally applicable,because it conditions certain visual look of the roofing, that can notbe included into each environment, while at the same time the servicingin case of potential damaging of such construction is questionable.

The system for solar heating can be made also from individual solarpanels of different shapes and of different mutual connections among thepanels, in case of which the panels are installed on the roofing overspecial supportive (bearing) construction(s), so that the panels areplaced over tiles or are exchanging the tiles. In patent documents thereare numerous different versions of such panel design, ranging from flatshaped to panels in shape of tiles, mutually connected into the system.

The subject of the invention is modular system for utilization of solarenergy for heating of sanitary water, which is composed from individualmodules. Each module is composed of prefabricated and mutually connectedtransparent (diaphanous), translucent or non-transparent elements: theupper-outflow, the intermediate and the lower-inflow transparentelement. Mutual connection of stated elements composes one module of thesystem. Several modules can be in parallel connected to assemble thesystem and to simply replace existing tiles. Through the transparent(diaphanous) or translucent elements of module flows nontransparentmedia made, where with selection of color of the non-transparent mediaappropriate visual look of the module is created to adjust the color ofthe module to the color of the reminder roof cover. Transparent(diaphanous) or translucent element in combination with nontransparentmedia creates greenhouse effect.

The invention will be described in detail on basis of the executionexample and by illustrations, where the figures show:

FIG. 1 the module of the system for utilization of solar energy forheating of sanitary water as being placed in roofing, according to theinvention (side view and partial section),

FIG. 2 the module of the system for utilization of solar energy forheating of sanitary water, according to the invention, with illustrationof possibility of module extension (top view),

FIG. 3 cross-section view (A) of the module of the system forutilization of solar energy for heating of sanitary water, according tothe invention,

FIG. 4 cross-section view (B) of the module of the system forutilization of solar energy for heating of sanitary water, according tothe invention,

FIG. 5 cross-section view of detail of the upper-outflow transparentelement of the module of the system for utilization of solar energy forheating of sanitary water with placement and design of air exhaustvalve, according to the invention.

The module for utilization of solar energy for heating of sanitarywater, presented in FIG. 1 as being placed in roofing, is composed ofupper-outflow transparent (diaphanous), translucent or non-transparentelement (1), the (one or several) intermediate transparent (diaphanous),translucent or non-transparent element(s) (2), and the lower-inflowtransparent (diaphanous), translucent or non-transparent element (3).All three transparent (diaphanous), translucent or non-transparentelements (1, 2, and 3) of individual module are adapted to differentdesigns of roofing tiles. On figures presented examples of transparent(diaphanous), translucent or non-transparent elements (1, 2 and 3) areadapted to the design of a classic concrete-made roofing tile. All threetransparent (diaphanous), translucent or non-transparent elements (1, 2and 3) have an inside empty space, which can represents partial orentire volume of the individual transparent (diaphanous), translucent ornon-transparent element (1, 2 or 3) and can be filled with thenontransparent media, which enables transformation and transfer of theheat. Color of the nontransparent media is any color whatever, byselection of which the color of media in transparent (diaphanous) ortranslucent elements (1, 2 or 3) can be combined with the look of entireroofing.

In frame of the system, according to the invention, the upper-outflowtransparent (diaphanous), translucent or non-transparent element (1),(one or several) intermediate transparent (diaphanous), translucent ornon-transparent element(s) (2), and lower-inflow transparent(diaphanous), translucent or non-transparent element (3) of individualmodule are mutually connected with assistance of adequately shapedjunctions (4 a, 4 b). The module is over the outflow outlet (6) of theupper-outflow transparent (diaphanous), translucent or non-transparentelement (1), the reinforcement insert (8 a) and the connection fittingelement (7 a) on one side as well as over the inflow inlet (5) of thelower-inflow transparent (diaphanous), translucent or non-transparentelement (3), the reinforcement insert (8 b) and the connection fittingelement (7 b) on the other side connected with outlet or inlet pipe,respectively. In such way, optional number of individual modules can beattached to both, the outlet and inlet pipes.

In the upper-outflow transparent (diaphanous), translucent ornon-transparent element (1) of individual module, above the outflowoutlet (6) the air exhaust (9) valve is designed.

By positioning the individual modules in the system, according to theinvention, as presented in FIG. 1, and connecting the system to inflowof the cold nontransparent media over the inflow inlet (5) and by flowof the heated nontransparent media trough the outflow outlet (6), theair exhaust valve (9) can be used to exhaust each individual module and,thereby, prevent creation of air-pockets, which hampers media flow andreduces efficiency of the system.

To obtain efficient utilization of solar energy and regarding availableroofing area several individual modules can be mutually and in parallelconnected in the system, where each module is composed of elements asstated previously. The length of the module can be adjusted as regardsthe number of the intermediate transparent (diaphanous), translucent ornon-transparent elements (2).

Due to the described design of individual transparent element anddescribed structure and functionality of individual module, each modulerepresents functionally closed entity, which can be exhaust individuallyand in case of servicing disconnected from the system.

1. Modular system for utilization of solar energy for heating of fluids,gasses and solids with usage of solar energy characterized by, beingcomposed of individual modules, which are composed of prefabricated andwith assistance of connection junctions (4 a, 4 b) mutually connectedtransparent (diaphanous), translucent or non-transparent elements (1, 2,and 3), through which flows the nontransparent media, the individualmodule is composed of the upper-outflow transparent (diaphanous),translucent or non-transparent element (1), the (one or several)intermediate transparent (diaphanous), translucent or non-transparentelement(s) (2), and the lower-inflow transparent (diaphanous),translucent or non-transparent element (3), where several modules arepossible to be mutually and in parallel connected into the modularsystem, that individual module is over the outflow outlet (6) of theupper-outflow transparent (diaphanous), translucent or non-transparentelement (1), the reinforcement insert (8 a) and the connection fittingelement (7 a) on one side as well as over the inflow inlet (5) of thelower-inflow transparent (diaphanous), translucent or non-transparentelement (3), the reinforcement insert (8 b) and the connection fittingelement (7 b) on the other side connected between outlet or inlet pipe,respectively, containing heating nontransparent media, and that on theupper-outflow transparent (diaphanous), translucent or non-transparentelement (1) the air exhaust valve (9) is designed proximate to and abovethe outflow outlet (6), the air exhaust valve (9) providing fluidcommunication with the ambient conditions, so as to foster the egress ofair, while containing fluid therewithin, to, in turn, enhance fluid flowthrough the individual model.
 2. Modular system for utilization of solarenergy for heating of sanitary water, according to claim 1,characterized by, that the upper-outflow transparent (diaphanous),translucent or non-transparent element (1) the intermediate transparent(diaphanous), translucent or non-transparent element (2), and thelower-inflow transparent (diaphanous), translucent or non-transparentelement (3) are adapted to different designs of roofing tiles.